Author's Note--Now some of you may think Gabriella is being unfair to Taylor in this chapter, but I want to let you guys all know that she has a good reason, which I'm not telling and you'll have to just wait and see. Here's the next chapter and I hope you guys enjoy--
Taylor sat in a chair at a table that was reserved for the gang. She had one leg crossed over her other one with her elbow resting on her knee and her chin in her hand as she slumped over thinking about Gabriella and her past. Gabriella was right, Taylor didn't know what it felt like to be in her position, she didn't know what it felt like growing up without a dad, she didn't know how painful it was to think that you killed your dad, even though you knew deep down that it wasn't you, but yet it felt better blaming yourself so you could feel guilty as a punishment for eleven years straight.
It was now 6:45 and it was still Chad, Troy, Gabriella, and Taylor there as Shar just text Taylor saying her, Zeke, Jason, and Kelsi would be there in five minutes and everyone else was due there around 7:00 p.m. Taylor looked up to see that Chad and Troy were talking to one of the two bar tenders. Taylor scanned the big expansive room for her best friend, to see her no where in sight.
Just then one of the swinging doors that led to the kitchen and back rooms swung open and Gabriella walked out. Taylor looked at Gabriella hoping that Gabriella would talk to her before everyone else would get there so that they would have everything better before the new year started, but Gabriella just walked swiftly over to the table and laid her purse down across the table from Taylor to be the furthest from her.
"Gabi…" Taylor started as Gabriella started to walk away but turned in her spot to come face to face with Taylor who was now standing also. Taylor swallowed and chickened out from apologizing since she was almost scared of Gabriella now. She had only seen Gabriella this mad when she was talking to her mother sometimes and that was some years ago back when they did modeling together and Gabriella would act like some stuck up brat around her mother during fashion shows and photo shoots. "Um…Shar said they would be here in like five minutes." Tay said.
Gabriella's jaw was set and she talked crystal clear through her white pearl teeth, "Okay." Gabriella started to walk away as Taylor outstretched and grabbed her wrist gently making Gabriella to twirl around and face her.
"Wait Gabi…" Taylor exclaimed as this caught Chad's and Troy's attention from across the room.
"What?" Gabriella hissed in a normal voice, trying to keep it as quiet as possible.
"I just…I don't want to fight." Taylor said.
"That's rich Taylor, real RICH." Gabriella exclaimed. "You don't want to fight! Do you think I want to fight also?! NO." Gabriella exclaimed as Troy and Chad looked at each other with worry.
"I've never heard of Taylor and Brie fighting before, even before I met Brie." Troy said trying to remember if Taylor had ever complained before in the past of her best friend.
"That's because they really haven't." Chad said leaning back on the bar.
Troy looked at him. "Aren't you going to go help or something? Intervene?" Troy motioned to the two girls.
Chad shook his head. "They'll work it out, and believe me you don't want to get mixed up in it." Chad said taking a sip from his soda.
"But what about--" Troy got cut off.
Chad's voice was dead serious as he turned his head and looked at Troy with a straight facing. "Troy man, you didn't listen to me when I told you to stay away from Gabriella and to not get mixed up with her and Ryan's relationship, which is slowly turning into your favor, but I am telling you straight up that you should not get mixed up with Gabriella's past. It's a very delicate unstable situation that can explode at anytime and it's not pleasant and I only know the short version, so I am warning you to just leave it at what it is and let Gabriella be by not bringing it up. Because you might be getting lucky with her relationship and Ryan, but this is one thing that The Troy Bolton cannot win." Chad said patting Troy on the shoulder as this just made Troy even more interested.
Taylor was still holding Gabriella's wrist in her hand as Gabriella pulled back her hand roughly. "Gabi I don't want to fight either. I'm sorry for saying that about her…Jenny." Taylor quickly corrected herself mentally hitting herself for making another mistake about Jenny.
"Okay." Gabriella said with a set jaw. "I have to go." Gabriella said turning away from her and Taylor grabbed Gabriella's wrist again as Gabriella turned around and took her hand back again. "What Taylor?! What more do you want?! I've let you in, I've told you about me and my past and you said that you were okay with it! I never thought that you would bring it up again!" Gabriella exclaimed. "What more could you possible need from me?!" Gabriella exclaimed.
Taylor swallowed hard as she looked her best friend in the eye. "I need you to be okay."
Gabriella's bottom lip quivered as she sub-consciously looked over her shoulder to see Troy and Chad talking and then looking back at them. Gabriella avoided Troy's eyes as she looked back at Taylor.
"I'm fine…I'm just…" Gabriella said calming down slowly. "I just need to forget." Gabriella said.
"Gabs, it wasn't your fault." Taylor said trying to reason with her as her voice was gentle and sweet. Gabriella looked at Taylor feeling her blood boiling as she hated when people told her it wasn't her fault. She had to put up with it constantly for the first month of her father's death and then every once in a while as she ran into her father's police friends and workers. She hated people telling her when she believed differently.
"How do you know?!" Gabriella exclaimed. "You weren't there, you have no idea what the hell happened." Gabriella said walking away from her and over to the corner of the bar so that there was ten stools separating her from Chad and Troy. Gabriella knew she had to calm down, so she did the one thing that has worked before when she was a teenager, she threw back her foot and jolted it forward as she kicked the bar and slammed her hand down on the marble counter top.
Chad and Troy went wide eye witnessing Gabriella's outburst as she stormed into the kitchen without looking at them and Taylor approached the boys at the bar.
"What the hell was that?" Chad asked.
Taylor shrugged. "Is she going to be okay?" Troy asked with worry as the rest of the gang entered.
"Hey Tay." Shar greeted happily as Kelsi, Shar, and Tay shared a hug. Zeke did a manly handshake with Troy and Chad along with Jason as the gang all talked together.
"So where's Gabi, I haven't spoken to her since I left the country." Shar said.
"Oh um…" Taylor didn't know what to say. Luckily she didn't have to as Gabriella came out from the kitchen again with a smile on her face and this time Troy saw that it wasn't her fake smile, it was a real one and he was guessing it was only on her face since she was happy to see Shar back from her vacation.
"Hey guys." Gabriella greeted as Shar ran over to Gabriella in her pink cocktail dress and engulfed her in a huge hug. "How did you like our Christmas gift?" Shar joked.
Gabriella rolled her eyes. "Oh you and Zeke taunting me about being alone on Christmas?" Gabriella asked. "Just great, but I wasn't really alone, I went out to dinner with someone." Gabriella said.
Shar's face dropped. "Why didn't anyone tell me Gabi here wasn't alone on Christmas?" Shar called out to the gang who were in their own conversations.
Everyone looked at Troy as he raised his hand sheepishly. "Relax Shar, she was with me." Troy said as Shar sighed.
"Good, for a second I thought that you actually cheated on Ryan, not that I would mind, he's a jackass." Shar added quietly so only Gabriella could hear. Just then a whole bunch of people came into the banquet room. Gabriella looked everything over as most of the gang went to go mingle with people seeing as the kids hadn't arrived yet. Gabriella looked at all the people that were there and estimated that about fifty people were there already, all of the basketball team excluding Ryan and Greg, their coach and assistant coach, some of the very few models Gabriella actually got along with, and then other people Gabriella did business with like music producers and bands.
"You out did yourself Montez." A male's voice said as she was nudged on the side.
Gabriella recognized that voice as it belonged Jerry Krisk. Gabriella smiled at the 70 year old man who was in perfect health as he leaned against the bar counter with her and crossed his arms over his chest. Gabriella looked at the older man who helped her organize events like these, but couldn't help her on this one because he was busy with another foundation.
"Thank you Jerry." Gabriella said with a smile.
"I think the kids are enjoying themselves." Jerry motioned around them as there were around fifty kids running around, dancing, singing karaoke, coloring, and doing activities the workers Gabriella hired set up for them. "Heck, I know I would if I was their age again too!" Jerry said with a chuckle.
Gabriella laughed, "Well I'm sure there will be markers left over, you can draw a picture then." Gabriella said. "That is if you can still see in color." Gabriella joked and Jerry chuckled along with Gabriella as she knew that she was one of the many few that could make fun of Jerry's age.
Just then Troy started walking over to Gabriella after talking to Zeke about his vacation with Shar as the kids' voices that rang through out the room was stopped and soft music started to play.
"Hey there Brie…Mr. Krisk." Troy greeted as he shook hands with Jerry.
Jerry smiled at Troy and clapped him on the back. "Hey there Bolton, keeping in shape for the season to start up again?" Jerry asked.
Troy nodded with a smile on his face. "Sure am, and sorry to interrupt but I'm afraid I have to borrow Brie here for a couple of minutes." Troy said.
"Oh no worries, I'll find her later." Jerry said nodding at Troy as he took Gabriella by the hand and pulled her to the back of the banquet room.
Gabriella looked at Troy curiously. "What's up Troy? Why all secret agent?" Gabriella asked looking around and seeing the pizzas, hot dogs, hamburgers, and French fries being brought out and being placed at the kids tables.
"Well I was just wondering…um…is everything okay?" Troy asked as it had been a half an hour ago since Taylor and Gabriella ended their fight and just settled with not talking to each other.
"Yeah, everything is good. Why?" Gabriella asked sweetly.
"Nothing, just wondering." Troy said lamely and picked up his cockiness as he looked at Gabriella not wanting to upset her by trying to bring up her past which Chad did warn him not to do, "I just thought that you would be upset since you're not dancing with a great dancer like myself." Troy smirked as he held out his hand.
Gabriella raised her eye brows at Troy. "Wow, someone is sure confident." Gabriella said taking his hand.
"I think it comes with my basketball skills and natural talent of being able to sing." Troy joked as they made it to the dance floor with a slow tune playing. Gabriella remembered the last time they danced and it almost ended with them kissing as Gabriella's hands were wrapped around his neck, and his hands sat on her waist.
Gabriella and Troy swayed to the music, both with soft subtle smiles on their faces. Gabriella's mind kept wondering back to Jenny and her dad. Would he be proud of her? Of course now he would be, but what about when she was a teenager and acted out? And then there's Jenny, even though Gabriella didn't know her, she still felt like she should've been the one to suffer, not her.
"What are you thinking about?" Troy asked softly as other couples danced around them.
"Just things." Gabriella replied with a smile. "Nothing important." Gabriella lied through her teeth and Troy was almost proud that he could tell when Gabriella was lying, but then almost hurt when he realized that Gabriella was lying to him.
"You're lying." Troy called her on, but not in a demanding tone that Gabriella should tell him, just a light tone as he put a loose curl behind Gabriella's ear.
Gabriella shrugged. "How do you know?" Gabriella asked.
"I can just tell, but…I want you to know that you can always talk to me." Troy said as the song was coming to an end.
Gabriella nodded believing every word. "I know." The song ended and they let go of each other. Troy bowed to Gabriella and took her hand in his and pressed his soft lips to the back of Gabriella's smooth hand and smiled against her skin as Gabriella giggled.
"You're right Troy, you are an excellent dancer." Gabriella said as they walked over to their table where the rest of the gang was eating.
"No date tonight man?" Jason asked Troy as he sat down next to him with Gabriella on his other side.
"Nope." Troy said taking a sip of his water.
"You either Gabi?" Kelsi asked with a smirk thinking back to their car conversation the day after Christmas.
Gabriella shrugged. "Too busy, plus Ryan is gone, I don't think he would appreciate me bringing some guy tonight." Gabriella reasoned just as her phone went off and she answered it knowing it was Ryan. "Speak of the devil." Gabriella said and then turned in her chair and put her hand over her other ear to block out the conversations that the gang was creating as Troy stayed silent and listened to Gabriella.
"Hey there." Gabriella said in a happy voice that wasn't created because Ryan was calling, Gabriella was just happy that the gang was together and the event she planned was going good so far despite the fact that Taylor and her weren't talking.
"Hey." Ryan greeted cheerfully. "So I hear that your charity thing is going good." Ryan said.
"What?" Gabriella asked confused.
"Yeah, I just talked to Jason on the phone a couple of minutes ago and boy is he hard to get information out of." Ryan said.
"I repeat, what?" Gabriella asked confused as to why Ryan would need information from Jason.
"Yeah, I just wanted to check in." Ryan said. "Is there a problem?"
"No, it's just…why didn't you just call me?" Gabriella asked knowing the answer since lately she was ignoring Ryan's phone calls because she would most likely be with Troy or at the recording studio.
"Well you're not the most easiest girl to get a hold of probably because your off dong the modeling thing which is cool, I just wanted to check in." Ryan said as Gabriella was silent. She wasn't mad because Ryan was probably just concerned or jealous, and Gabriella didn't know which one. "Is everything okay?" Ryan asked.
"…yeah, of course." Gabriella said with a nod of the head even though Ryan couldn't see her.
"Okay because I'm getting the feeling that you want to tell me something, but aren't. Did something happen?" Ryan asked slowly.
"What, no, and Ry…Ry…I can't hear you…I think you're…breaking up." Gabriella said into the phone as she slammed it shut and turned back to the table with a smile on her face.
"What was that?" Zeke asked as he chuckled with Chad and the girls gave her a curious glance.
"I am so sorry Gabs." Jason said. "I didn't know what to say and then I couldn't make up that you were dancing with someone else or else he would probably end up calling them so I just told him that you were with Troy." Jason said.
Gabriella nodded not realizing Ryan knew about the dancing part, or at least he didn't say anything. Gabriella smiled. "No problem Jason. He didn't sound mad, in fact he didn't say anything about that, so you did the right thing, I don't want you lying to him, he's your friend." Gabriella said just as Troy's phone started going off and he picked up his phone to see Ryan calling.
Troy hit ignore and put his phone away. "It was Ryan wasn't it?" Gabriella asked.
"If I said no would you believe me?" Troy asked.
"I can't believe him, no wait, I can." Gabriella said.
There was a silence of awkwardness between the group as Zeke and Sharpay both knew that they were missing something since they missed out on a week of information and nobody had filled them in on anything and all throughout the night so far Troy had dodged their questions while Chad and Tay shared a knowing look along with Jason and Kelsi. Troy and Gabriella kept steeling quick glances at each other as everyone continued to eat their food.
The four girls were laughing as Jason told jokes up on stage making a fool of himself and pronounced his love towards Kelsi which made her blush furiously. Gabriella and Taylor looked at each other from across the table and Kelsi and Shar both knew that something was up with the two of them, but didn't push it because the very first fight Tay and Gabriella were known to have taught them that lesson as Kelsi ended up stepping on a nail and being rushed to the hospital, so that pretty much taught them that lesson.
When Jason was done he sat at one of the two tables that was set up on the dance floor in the middle of everyone else waiting for Troy to be the last one to perform and then they would start giving out autographs. Troy got on stage and before he even said anything the whole room erupted into applause as Gabriella and Troy both locked eyes and then Troy broke the stare to start his act.
"So 10 days ago I met this lovely young woman right here in this exact banquet room and we've become good friends." Troy started as most of the adults awed. The gang minus Troy who was looking at the whole audience looked at Gabriella knowing that he was talking about her. "She has many talents and most of you probably know her as the girl that can make anyone want to buy the clothes that she wears better than the designer, but I know her as the Gabriella Montez: Singer." Troy said as Gabriella smiled. "Now recently I have discovered a new talent and have started to record a song with Gabriella Montez, so I'm gonna welcome Gabriella to come up here and sing a song with me." Troy said smiling at Gabriella who stood up and the room applauded.
Gabriella smirked at Troy as Troy just smiled at her with happiness in his eyes. Gabriella took the other mic in hand that was by Troy in it's original stand and smiled at him. "What do you have in mind Bolton?" Gabriella asked.
"I hope you can do karaoke." Troy said as he hit play and a soft melody started to play.
[Troy: Living in my own world
Didn't understand
That anything can happen
When you take a chance
[Gabriella: I never believed in
What I couldn't see
I never opened my heart (oh)
To all the possibilities (oh)
[Both: I know
[Gabriella: That something has changed
[Both: Never felt this way
[Gabriella: And right here tonight
This could be the start
Of something new
It feels so right
[Both: To be here with you (oh)
And now looking in your eyes
[Gabriella: I feel in my heart
[Troy: Feel in my heart
[Both: The start of something new
[Troy: Oh, yeah, Now who'd of ever thought that
[Both: We'd both be here tonight (oh)
[Gabriella (Troy): Yeah, and the world looks so much brighter (brighter, brighter)
[Both: Oh, with you by my side
I know that something has changed
Never felt this way
[Gabriella: I know it for real
[Both: This could be the start
Of something new
It feels so right
To be here with you (oh)
And now looking in your eyes
I feel in my heart (feel it in my heart)
[Gabriella: The start of something new
[Troy: I never knew that it could happen
Till it happened to me (whoaaaooh yeah)
[Both: I didn't know it before
[Gabriella But now it's easy to
[Both See (Ohh) It's the start of something new
It feels so right
To be here with you (oh)
And now looking in your eyes (looking in your eyes)
I feel in my heart (feel in my heart)
That it's the start Of something new
It feels so right
[Gabriella: To be here with you (oh)
[Both: And now looking in your eyes (looking in your eyes)
[Gabriella (Troy): I feel in my heart (feel in my heart)
[Gabriela: The start of something new
[Troy: The start of something new
[Both: Start of something new
They both finished breathing heavily again and Gabriella looked out into the audience to have her eyes land on Matt who was giving her his famous thumbs up as everyone else was clapping and cheering loudly as she smiled at Matt and turned her attention back to Troy as one of the workers took their microphones from them.
"Um…" Troy said not knowing what to say as he was shocked that the song turned out just as he pictured it.
"Yeah…" Gabriella said quietly and then her head looked off in to the audience to see the kids running up to the tables to get autographs on the orange basketballs Troy promised he would give to every kid. "You better…" Gabriella pointed over to the tables and for a split second she wanted to just go into the coat closet and have Troy all to herself.
"Yeah." Troy said looking at where Gabriella motioned too. "But I'll talk to you soon, okay?" Troy asked.
"Definitely." Gabriella said with a nod as she absent mindlessly kissed Troy on the cheek and walked off stage.
Troy stood on the stage stunned with a goofy grin on his face as his hand went to the warm spot on his cheek where Gabriella kissed him. Troy turned around and started to step off the stage with his hand to his cheek still. She kissed him and even though it wasn't on his lips like he had been hoping for since the coat closet ten days ago, it was still a kiss. A kiss was a kiss and it always meant something, right?
Gabriella walked back to the table and saw that it was only Taylor there. Gabriella sat down and just looked at Troy who was shaking a little boys hand. "You sang really good." Taylor said as she stood up and sat down right by Gabriella.
Gabriella looked at her. "Thanks." Gabriella said politely and Taylor smiled knowing they were making progress as Gabriella wasn't tensed up around her anymore.
"You know, I'm really sorry Gabi. I didn't mean to upset you on this night nonetheless. I'm just really sorry." Taylor said.
"Stop." Gabriella said and Taylor looked taken aback and then went confused as Gabriella laid her hand down on top of hers. "You need to stop apologizing when I should be saying sorry to you." Gabriella said softly in a whisper so that no one else would hear their conversation.
"What?" Taylor asked.
"I guess I just needed to let out some anger and what you said just sent me off. You know I usually don't get that mad--" Gabriella said.
"which I love about you by the way." Taylor added with a smile.
"Yes, and I think I was a little stressed with…" Gabriella trailed off.
"With the whole Ryan and Troy thing." Taylor filled in.
Gabriella looked at her. "Is it that obvious?" Gabriella groaned.
"Only to Shar, Kels, and Me." Taylor said with a smile knowing that their friendship was saved.
"What do you think I should do?" Gabriella asked.
"I think you can either stay with Ryan if you're happy which seems to be a question you're facing right now or there's break things off with Ryan before he tries to propose to you and claim you his and try something with Troy." Taylor said.
"Well I know the options Tay, but what's the right decision?" Gabriella asked.
"Are you happy with Ryan?" Taylor asked.
"Sometimes." Gabriella mumbled.
"Gabi…" Taylor said with a knowing look.
"Okay, so it's fifty fifty with him." Gabriella said.
"And then what about Troy? Are you happy with him?" Taylor asked looking over at Chad and Troy who were smiling at the little kids going through the line.
"Well right now we've only been friends and I'm pretty happy with that, but then if I was dating Troy…I think it could possible go good, or great even, but what if things got too chaotic and we lost everything including our friendship?" Gabriella asked with doubts filling her head.
"I think you won't know until you try." Taylor said as she stood up and smiled down at Gabriella. "I think I'm gonna head over by Chad since the line is fading away, and you come and talk to me if you need too." Taylor said.
Gabriella smiled at Taylor thankful that she understood her most of the time. "Thanks Best Friend." Gabriella said and Taylor grinned bigger.
It was now 11:55 and Gabriella walked into the coat room just thinking what she should do about Troy and Ryan again. For some reason the coat room seemed like the most appropriate place to go to and then her eyes went wide. Was that a sign? This is where Troy and her had their first one-on-one conversation ten days ago. Gabriella was interrupted by a males voice.
"What is it with you and this coat room?" Troy asked leaning against the closed door.
"What is it with you following me into this coat room?" Gabriella asked back with a smirk knowing this had to just be a sign.
They stayed silent for a minute just looking at each other and then Gabriella said out of nowhere. "I'm breaking up with Ryan."
Troy nearly chocked on air as he looked at the seriousness in Gabriella's face. "Wh-what?"
"I'm breaking up with Ry--" Gabriella was cut off.
"No, I know what. When…when did you decide this?" Troy was shocked and happy at the same time.
"I guess if I had to say when I decided this, it would be…now." Gabriella said with a nod and a shrug of the shoulders.
"Oh…" Troy said trailing off. "Would it be okay if I asked why?" Troy asked as he wished for Gabriella to just say she wanted to be him instead of Ryan.
"Oh…yeah you can." Gabriella said not really knowing how to phrase her feelings for Troy. "well you see…there's another…basketball player." Gabriella said slowly while looking down at the ground.
"Yeah?" Troy asked stepping closer to Gabriella.
"Yeah, and…I've known of him for some time now…and we just recently started hanging out…and he has a larder." Gabriella said looking up with a smile that matched Troy's.
"A larder, really?" Troy asked acting surprised.
"Yeah." Gabriella bit her lip waiting for Troy to say something, anything.
"Do I know him?" Troy asked more cockily since he knew Gabriella was hinting him.
"You might." Gabriella said just as they heard everyone out in the banquet hall.
"Ten…Nine…Eight…Seven…Six…Five…Four…Three…Two…One…Happy New Years!" Everyone exclaimed as brown eyes met blue and started leaning in slowly speeding up with want and desire until both of their lips met in a hurry and they gripped onto each other with a tight embrace. Gabriella's hands wrapped themselves around Troy's neck as his hands found her waist and lower back as Gabriella arched into him.
Their warm lips tangled with each other while they kissed each other hungrily with built up emotions towards each other. Gabriella felt Troy's hands rubbing up and down her lower back as she was relaxed in his arms while her hands were playing with the hairs in the back of Troy's head. Pleasure was going through both of them as the need for air was becoming necessary. When they both pulled back they both connected eyes while slightly breathing louder than normal.
"That was…" Troy said knowing that was the best first kiss he had with a girl for a while now as he thought back to all the other girls he dated, and no one even compared to Gabriella.
"Yeah…" Gabriella said as she knew that finally deciding to break up with Ryan for sure was the right choice. And then it hit her, she kissed Troy while she technically was still with Ryan. After all, she was wearing Ryan's basketball ring that he had givin her as she spotted Troy's ring safely on his finger. "Oh my God." Gabriella panicked stepping away from the shocked Troy. "I can't do this…We can't do this. I'm still with Ryan." Gabriella said still backing away from Troy and heading towards the door that led out to the other room where the music was still playing softly.
"But…" Troy was confused. A minute ago Gabriella told him that she was breaking up with Ryan for him and they kissed and now she's telling him no. "But…you just said…and we…" Troy trailed off making sure he wasn't imagining this.
"I'm so sorry Troy." Gabriella said. "Technically I'm still with Ryan. We just…wait until he gets back and…take things from there and then…we'll work something out, okay?" Gabriella asked. "Okay." Gabriella nodded her head answering her own question and exited through the coat closet leaving Troy confused but yet happy. He had finally gotten his kiss and then it hit him what Gabriella was freaking out about, she said she is going to break up with Ryan, which meant she hadn't yet, which meant he was technically the other person. What did he get himself into? And even though the position Troy was in could possible turn out bad, Troy still couldn't keep the goofy grin off his face as he walked out of the coat room.